Monahan 02 Artificial Intentions Read Online Free PDF Page A

notice when you boarded, the restroom is at the rear of the aircraft.”
    My hand went automatically to my pocket and I lit a cigarette. As I dragged on it I thought about how easy it was to go back to the habit. No will power whatsoever. The first sign of stress and I fell back in the trap. What a weakling.
    The sky was cloudless outside the window and I stared into the nothingness. My thoughts finally returned to my phone conversation with Cleve and a glance at my watch reminded me that it had only been a little over an hour since we had spoken.
    “The news isn’t good, Kathleen,” he had started.
    “What? What’s happened?” I demanded.
    “They found Tommy’s body early this morning.”
    “What do you mean, Tommy’s body?”
    “He was missing yesterday.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me when you called at five?”
    “We didn’t know there was anything wrong at that time.”
    “Bullshit Cleve.” My blood pressure was rising and I wasn’t sure if it was from fear or frustration.
    “Kate. Leave it. I’m sorry, but Tommy’s dead. The police won’t tell us anything yet. We’ve sent the Phoenix corporate jet for you and it’s ready to leave as soon as you are.”
    I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t. Sweet Tommy was dead and I couldn’t file the information anywhere in my head.
    I finally answered him. “I’m not coming.”
    “What?”
    “I’m not coming,” I repeated. My stomach was doing triple flips remembering my encounter with death a few short months ago. I looked under Cleve’s desk for the recycling bin in case my breakfast decided it wasn’t staying put. Death and I didn’t do well together.
    “Tommy and I were friends. That’s all,” I continued. “We’ve been divorced for years. You know that Cleve.”
    “But you’re listed as his next of kin,” Cleve said.
    “His next of kin? I don’t think so. We were divorced years ago.”
    “I know that Kate. But his papers list you as next of kin.”
    “Be that as it may, Cleve, I’m not coming. I can’t. I’ll just hang out here and look after things for you,” I said helplessly. My brain felt like it was enveloped in a fog and I just wanted to be by myself, not talking to anyone.
    “Thank you for calling,” I said formally. Could I be called the widow? The ex-widow? The widow wanted time alone.
    “Kathleen,” Cleve shouted into the phone. “Are you with me?”
    His shout brought me back to the present.
    “Yes,” I answered, suddenly feeling out of breath.
    “I knew I should have had someone there with you. Now listen to me. Are you listening?”
    “Yes,” I breathed into the phone.
    “You have to come. Tommy’s will states that you are his next of kin and his life insurance policy names you as the beneficiary.”
    “That has to be outdated, Cleve. We’re divorced.”
    “Kate, it’s not outdated. The will was written a few months ago and the life insurance policy is less than a year old.”
    “I don’t have to be there, Cleve. I can’t do it and I think you know why. I’m no good in these situations. If there are papers to sign, send them to me.”
    “Kate, there’s more. It’s why I need you to come to New York right away.”
    “What is it?”
    “Tommy’s left you his majority shares in the company. We need a chairman of the board. Now.”
    chapter five
    There was another blue Lincoln to meet me at the airport in Teterboro and I was glad that the only other person in the car was the driver. The heat of the day greeted me when I stepped off the plane but I shivered nonetheless. I hadn’t asked Cleve how Tommy had died and I shook my head at that. When the phone had rung and Cleve had said “Hi”, I somehow knew. I was thankful the call hadn’t come in the middle of the night. My feelings of foreboding were weird enough in the middle of the day but if it’d happened at night-time, I think I’d be even more spooked.
    A very attractive woman, about thirty years old, met me in the reception area at the